A recent photo, which prompted the poem that follows. I wish all of you, my Gentle, Loyal, and Constant Readers, enough. . .
Phoenix Rises
The phoenix rises,
dispersing ash as she extends
her reborn wings to dry beneath the sun.
She lifts her eyes,
pondering the expanse of sky, marveling
at each cloud, discerning from their shapes
her once and future soul, each
moving forward, shape-shifting
as they are propelled, like wayward children,
toward the horizon.
She rediscovers her power to fly,
in mimicking the movement
of the strange and familiar,
those wind-swept creatures
that capture her gaze,
and leave no wake, yet
cast their shadows on the earth below.
With a burst of clarity, she knows
that she is but a cloud herself,
some shadow of her former life
transformed, reshaped, assembled,
and gathered again and again, reborn to fly
above herself and beyond,
chasing the distant horizon
leaving nothing in her wake
but the weightless and gray
remnant ashes of yesterday.
Well, first, did you take that photo? I love it and your words so gracefully outlined what I see within it.
Yup! Took that photo on May 28 while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I took the photo because those cloud shadows screamed out at me, and the words for the poem started rattling around in my mind almost immediately. It wasn’t until recently that I as able to transpose thought into some semblance of a poem. I actually have much better photos of the scene, but I used this one (over-exposed as it is), because it illustrates the poem the best. I will be posting the other “Phoenix” photos on my photo blog later today. You can find them here. Glad you like them!
Oh, Paula– but for a drop of your talent! The poem took me to unexpected but beautiful places. I really think one of those clouds is a helicopter! Thank you, dear.
Thank you, Dannie! You have OCEANS of talent! Others will be introduced to it soon,as I am really going to post my review(s) of your novels. They are so good, and inspiring!
This poem started coming to me when I first saw the scene and photographed it. I promise you that no helicopters were present at the time the photo was taken
It’s amazing what we can see in the clouds (or even their shadows). You see a helicopter, I see a phoenix. . .same thing, right?
One of your best. So clear and precise, yet rich with imagery on multiple levels. Great job.
Hubs
Always my #1 Fan! Thank you, Darlin’!
I find these images profound, moving, and beautiful.
That photo has haunted my thoughts for weeks, and the images of the poem have been bouncing around my brain for weeks now. Finally got it written down – first-draft style, anyway! Glad you like it.
Absolutely lovely Paula. I love the way the rhythm changes, reminiscent to me of a twisting cloud of smoke or ash.
Thank you
John
Glad you like this, John! When I saw the scene that I photographed, all I could think of was the shadows of great and mighty birds. I even looked for them above the shadows, expecting to see something besides the clouds that made them.
Paula,
Nice,
I was wondering what it be like if you wrote it in first person.
I, Phoenix rise!
Doug
Someday when I actually arise from the ashes of my former self, I will do that!
Not a bad idea, though, except I was recalling something that came to me as I watched the cloud scene play out. It was an interesting site, watching those shadows transform and morph as the clouds that formed them did.
I will arise from the ashes of that former self, when I actually do my Some day!
Just for fun, I scrambled your sentence. Many other mysterious possibilities!
Doug
That sounds good, too! I think! OR
Good, I think, sounds that too!